Joseph Parker, 32, of Crowfall, Bridge Road, Dublin 18, was convicted of sexual assault of a sleeping woman at a Dublin hotel on 9 September 2020. He pleaded guilty on the basis of recklessness, a plea that reduced the maximum ten‑year sentence. While on bail for a rape charge, he assaulted the woman, who had earlier told him she did not want intimacy. After she fell asleep, Parker entered her room, forced himself on her, and later tried to persuade her not to report the incident. The court, hearing the case at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, noted that Parker had cooperated with investigators and expressed remorse. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a headline sentence of four years, but, considering the guilty plea and cooperation, set a final sentence of two years imprisonment to be served consecutively to his existing term. The decision was made on 26 April 2024.
In a Limerick Central Criminal Court trial, a 58‑year‑old man was convicted of 14 offences, including rape, false imprisonment, 11 counts of sexual assault and a threat to kill. He had previously pleaded guilty to four assault‑causing‑harm charges. The victim, his 39‑year‑old niece, was held in his home for a week in late January and early February 2022. During that time she was unable to walk or move for several days, suffered bruising and a broken tooth, and was repeatedly sexually assaulted while she urinated using paper cups. The man also set fire to the bed and curtains, switched off the electricity, and threatened her with a glass‑covered floor. Judge Siobhan Lankford imposed a 13‑year sentence with the final 18 months suspended, back‑dated to 14 February 2022, and directed the defendant to never approach the victim again.
During a trial at the Central Criminal Court, a 59‑year‑old Kilkenny man faced 121 counts of historic sex abuse, including anal and oral rape and sexual assault against eight male complainants aged 10 to 11 between 1995 and 2007. The defendant pleaded not guilty. One complainant, aged 38, testified that the accused raped him anally once, threatened him to "keep his mouth shut" or his family would be killed, and repeatedly touched him and his younger brother in the accused's car. He said the abuse began when he was 11 or 12 and stopped around age 15, though he could not recall the final incident. The complainant also reported that he had spoken to Gardaí and social workers in 2000, but no action was taken. The trial is proceeding before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury.
In 2024, a 46‑year‑old man was convicted at the Central Criminal Court in Waterford for repeatedly raping a girl aged eight to eleven between 2014 and 2017. The offences included eight counts of rape, nine of anal rape, eight of oral rape and nine of sexual assault. The court found him guilty of all but three counts of rape, sentencing him to 13½ years for the vaginal rape, later reduced to 11 years, plus two years of post‑release supervision. He appealed, arguing the judge failed to consider mitigating factors such as his constructive use of prison time, schooling, mental health and drug courses, and his job as a cleaner. He also challenged the trial judge's handling of hearsay, the addition of the victim's mother's complaint evidence, and the lack of a corroboration warning. The Court of Appeal heard the case and noted the judge's decision to reserve all aspects of its ruling. The unnamed 46-year-old was acquitted.
Patrick Honan, 69, was sentenced to 13 years' custody with 18 months suspended for 48 counts of rape and indecent assault against his daughter Noreen Honan, aged 3½ to 16, between 1977 and 1989 at their family home in Doonbeg, Co Clare. The judge, Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford, praised Ms Honan's dignified conduct and bravery, noting the prolonged abuse, breach of trust and age disparity. Honan had previously applied to keep his identity confidential, citing potential harm to his wider family, but the court rejected this. The sentence was back‑dated to the date of his custody entry. The judge also directed that Honan must not approach Ms Honan now or in the future. The unnamed accused was found guilty.
Aaron Brady, who killed Garda Adrian Donohoe, was an enhanced prisoner in Mountjoy with special privileges, including a laptop for reviewing evidence. He was housed on the D‑wing basement floor, a level reserved for inmates with good behaviour, and had more freedom to move, attend education, and receive extra phone calls and money. Brady, a 33‑year‑old former resident of New Road, Crossmaglen, was convicted in 2020 of Donohoe's murder and later pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice for recording a video of witness Ronan Flynn. Dean Byrne, a 30‑year‑old from Cabra Park, was tried for conspiring with Brady between April and June 2020 to persuade witness Daniel Cahill not to testify at Brady's trial. Byrne pleaded not guilty to the single charge. The Special Criminal Court heard these facts during the trial.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 24 April 2024, the appeal of Samy Taib, aged 22, was dismissed. Taib had been sentenced to five years' imprisonment with 12 months suspended, after pleading guilty to assault, coercive control, endangerment and dangerous driving. The Court upheld the four‑year sentence for the coercive control offence and the three‑year sentence for the driving offence, after the judge had reduced the headline sentences from five to four years and from four to three years respectively, citing Taib's undiagnosed paranoid schizophrenia. The judge noted that Taib's mental disorder was likely present for some time but that the seriousness of the violence—choking, punching, biting and driving over his former partner's leg—required a substantial sentence. The Court found the reductions within the judge's discretion and rejected the appeal. The final sentence remained five years' imprisonment with one year suspended.
A man has been brought before the Central Criminal Court on 121 charges of sexual abuse against eight boys, alleged to have occurred between 1995 and 2007. He pleaded not guilty. The prosecution, led by Dominic McGinn SC, presented evidence that the victims, all aged ten to eleven at the time of the alleged abuse, were subjected to sexual assault, anal rape and oral rape over a period of twelve years. The accused is said to have lured the boys with cigarettes and then taken them into his home, where he allegedly preyed on their innocence. Testimony is expected from two families of three brothers each, who claim daily or frequent abuse, with some victims reporting the incidents to their mother in 2000 and the Gardaí being alerted without further action. The trial is proceeding before Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury.
Two men, David Amah (18) and Michael Andrecut (22), and a 17‑year‑old minor were charged with the murder of gunman Tristan Sherry (26) in Blanchardstown on Christmas Eve. Sherry shot and fatally injured Jason Hennessy Senior at Browne's Steakhouse on 24 December 2023; Hennessy died 11 days later. The three appellants appealed a High Court refusal of bail. At the Court of Appeal, Seamus Clarke SC for Andrecut argued that the judge's Section 2 bail objections were based on conjecture about future offences and a "feud" that was not supported by hard evidence. Michael O'Higgins SC for Amah highlighted the chaotic circumstances of the night and the lack of evidence that Amah might flee. Michael Bowman SC for the minor contended that the judge erred by treating the youth as a "lightening rod" for danger, ignoring the presumption in favour of bail.
A pensioner in his early seventies was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for indecent assault and sexual assault against his daughter and niece in the early 1990s. The court found him guilty of four counts of indecent assault and 21 counts of sexual assault against his daughter, and four counts of indecent assault and eight counts of sexual assault against his niece. The abuse occurred in a Leinster house when the daughter was aged six to twelve and the niece aged eleven to twelve. The defendant maintains his innocence and had no prior convictions. Victim impact statements described lasting psychological harm, loss of self‑worth, anxiety, depression, nightmares and flashbacks. The judge imposed consecutive sentences of three and a half years for each victim, back‑dating the first to February 28, and noted the defendant's age, health and lack of prior convictions as mitigating factors. The total custodial term is seven years.
Cameron Curtis, aged 20, was sentenced to 18 months for assaulting his girlfriend Alannah Corrigan, but the Court of Appeal quashed that sentence and imposed a four‑year term, back‑dated to September 2022. The court found the original sentence too lenient for the seriousness of the offences, which included false imprisonment, repeated physical assaults, threats of death, and the use of a knife. Curtis had pleaded guilty to seven counts of assault causing harm and one count of false imprisonment. He was released after six months and has engaged positively with probation services, remains in a relationship with Corrigan, and has shown commitment to rehabilitation. The court therefore suspended the additional portion of the sentence, which will be in effect until September 2026, while Curtis remains under supervision and has not committed further incidents.
A 43‑year‑old former GAA coach was resentenced by the Court of Appeal to 14 years and six months' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, after the original nine‑year term was deemed too lenient. The judge cited the "global seriousness" of the offender's repeated sexual offences, physical abuse and a three‑year harassment campaign. The case involved the coach's sexual assault of a boy who was 12 when the abuse began, including oral rape, attempted anal rape, false imprisonment and assault. The coach had also abused the victim physically, beat him, and continued to harass him after the abuse stopped in 2006, sending threatening messages. The new sentence is to run concurrently with the earlier 10.5‑year term imposed by the Central Criminal Court, with the suspended portion conditional on probation. The judge described the conduct as "unusual, shocking and extremely disturbing.". The unnamed boy pleaded guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Thomas Lawrence, 62, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to his niece after a nightmare. The incident occurred on 29 August 2020 when Lawrence entered his niece's house, shouted abuse, then chased her to a café, grabbed her by the hair, punched her head and repeatedly struck her against a metal counter. The assault left her with superficial injuries. Lawrence also pleaded guilty to an attempted theft of three wine bottles from Spar in 2014, a case delayed by Covid. He was arrested shortly after the assault. Judge Martin Nolan, noting Lawrence's health problems—pancreatitis, epilepsy, chronic depression, alcoholism—sentenced him to 20 months, suspended in full, rather than imprisonment. No further court actions were described in the article.
The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment on an application by John Dundon to adduce fresh evidence in his appeal against his conviction for the murder of Shane Geoghegan. Dundon, 41, formerly of Hyde Road in Limerick, was convicted at the Special Criminal Court in 2013 of ordering the hit that resulted in Geoghegan's death in 2008. He is serving a mandatory life sentence. Counsel Dominic McGinn SC argued that a recorded phone conversation between witnesses Lisa Collins and Christopher McCarthy, which discussed ensuring Dundon received a sentence for an offence carrying a greater penalty such as murder, was omitted from the trial record. McGinn contended this evidence raised concerns about the witnesses' credibility and the fairness of the trial. The Director of Public Prosecutions, represented by Sean Guerin SC, countered that Dundon was not entitled to rely on a disadvantage caused by his decision to sack his lawyers on the first day of the trial. Guerin noted that Ms Collins had previously been threatened by Dundon, resulting in him receiving a prison sentence, and that the phone call actually supported the prosecution case by demonstrating the witnesses' fear. The court, comprising Mr Justice John Edwards, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, reserved judgment on the application. Separately, Barry Doyle, 38, last of Portland Row in Dublin 1, was found guilty of murdering Mr Geoghegan by a jury at the Central Criminal Court and was given the mandatory life sentence by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan on February 16, 2012.
At the Special Criminal Court, Ms Justice Caroline Biggs adjourned the sentence hearing for Michael Crotty to May 13. Crotty, 42, of Co Tipperary, pleaded not guilty to facilitating the murder of Noel Kirwan before entering a guilty plea in February to participating in a criminal organisation's activity. The State alleged Crotty facilitated the killing by purchasing €20 in mobile credit for Sean McGovern, described in evidence as a leading Kinahan cartel figure. Detective Sergeant Sean Cosgrove presented evidence linking a tracking device on Mr Kirwan's car to unregistered numbers used by Crotty and others, suggesting awareness of the unlawful purpose. Victim impact statements were read, including from Donna Kirwan, who expressed hope that the facilitator would "never see the light of day again." Defence counsel Padraig Dwyer SC noted Crotty's early guilty plea and submitted references. Separately, the report notes that Jason Keating, 32, was previously jailed for 10 years for his role in the "execution-style murder" of Mr Kirwan, having admitted to facilitating the offence. The matter regarding Crotty remains adjourned and is not concluded.
A Central Criminal Court jury could not reach a verdict in the murder trial of Maurice 'Mossie' Boland, who was accused of "flooring" 26‑year‑old Cian Gallagher in a rural town. The State alleged Boland intended to kill or seriously injure Gallagher, who fell and hit the back of his head after a punch. Both men had been drinking. The prosecution presented CCTV footage of a punch and claimed the victim's hand injuries were caused by the blow. Defence counsel argued that the pathologist's evidence showed the fall, not the punch, caused the fatal injury, and that intent could not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. After 13 hours of deliberation over four days, the jury declared disagreement and the case was scheduled for retrial on 25 November. The judge exempted the jury from service for five years. The trial remains at the murder‑versus‑manslaughter stage. Mossie' Boland pleaded not guilty.
A 45‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to ten and a half years in prison for six counts of rape and anal rape of his former partner between January 2019 and September 2020. The victim, who was not named to protect her anonymity, was repeatedly forced into sexual acts at her home while she repeatedly said no and asked him to stop. The court noted that the man used humiliating and degrading language, pulled her hair, pushed her onto a bathroom floor and a bed, and that the violence exceeded the inherent violence of rape. He was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury and does not accept the verdict or express remorse. Ms Justice Caroline Biggs imposed the sentence and ordered him to remain under Probation Service supervision for three years after release.
An unnamed 39‑year‑old man was sentenced to four years in prison for nine counts of sexual assault against three girls aged between seven and 17, committed when he was 12 to 17 years old between 1996 and 2022. The court heard that the defendant, who had no prior convictions, carried out a "Nerves" game in which he touched the girls' legs and vaginas, made animal noises, and pinched their vaginas. He also gave a 12‑year‑old girl alcohol and later found her naked in a wooded area, and he touched the breasts and mouth of a 17‑year‑old girl in a carpark. The three survivors gave victim impact statements describing lasting psychological harm, insomnia, anxiety, and loss of trust. Judge David Keane noted the aggravating factors of the victims' ages and alcohol use, and the mitigating factors of the defendant's lack of convictions and cooperation. The unnamed 39-year-old was found guilty.
Judge Sarah Berkeley, while sentencing a 28‑year‑old Dublin man who sexually assaulted his younger cousin over four years, expressed concern that recent legislation offers no guidance for sentencing judges on how long a convicted person should remain on the sex offenders' register. The defendant, convicted of ten counts of sexual assault committed between 2008 and 2011 when he was 13‑17 and the victim was 6‑10, was sentenced to five and a half years' imprisonment, back‑dated to his entry into custody. Judge Berkeley directed that he be placed on the register for two and a half years, noting his lack of prior convictions and that he had not attracted recent Garda attention. She suggested the Court of Appeal might consider this absence of guidance for sentencing judges. The judge also granted an application to extend legal aid for an appeal.
The jury of eight men and four women will return to the Central Criminal Court on Monday to continue deliberations in the trial of Maurice 'Mossie' Boland, 36, who denies murdering construction worker Cian Gallagher, 26, in Tallow on 10 November 2022. Boland pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The prosecution has alleged that a punch from Boland caused Gallagher to fall and hit the back of his head, leading to a fatal brain bleed eight days later. The defence has argued that the pathologist's evidence shows the fall, not the punch, caused the damage, and that the phrase "a Conor McGregor knockout" was a drunken, off‑hand remark. The jury has spent more than 11 hours over three days debating the case and has requested additional time to reach a verdict. The trial is ongoing and no verdict has yet been delivered.
In April 2024 the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction of Feri Anghel, 44, a Romanian national, for the murder of Ioan Artene Bob, 49, who was found dead in a Dublin park after being beaten. The appeal was dismissed because the court found Anghel's submissions lacked reality. The judge noted that the evidence, including extensive CCTV footage and DNA from a cigarette butt, was sufficient for the jury to convict. Anghel had claimed a lack of evidence and privacy violations, but the court found no basis for these claims. The appeal was rejected on all grounds, meaning Anghel will remain in custody under the mandatory life sentence imposed by the Central Criminal Court in 2022. The case remains at the appellate stage, with no further legal action reported. Feri Anghel pleaded not guilty.
Jozef Puska, aged 33, has been granted legal aid to appeal his conviction for the murder of school teacher Ashling Murphy. The Court of Appeal approved legal aid for all 20 applications presented that morning, and Puska will receive the same representation he had at the Central Criminal Court: a solicitor, senior counsel and two junior counsel. His trial concluded with a unanimous jury verdict after he was found to have stabbed Ms Murphy eleven times in the neck and slashed her once with a blade, leaving her to die in the thorns beside the canal towpath. Puska's defence argued that his confession to the Gardaí, made two days after the stabbing while he was under the influence of oxycodone and recovering from abdominal surgery, was involuntary, and objected to the prosecution's use of CCTV footage showing him stalking two women in Tullamore town centre before heading to the canal. Jozef Puska pleaded not guilty. Ashling Murphy pleaded not guilty.
In the trial of Maurice 'Mossie' Boland, a 36‑year‑old from Waterford, the jury of eight men and four women was given the option of a majority verdict after deliberating for nearly seven hours. Boland pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of 26‑year‑old Cian Gallagher, who died on 10 November 2022 after a fall that caused a traumatic brain injury. The prosecution alleged Boland punched Gallagher, who was drinking, and that the blow caused the fatal fall. The defence argued the fall, not the punch, caused the injury, citing the pathologist's testimony. The jury was instructed that a murder verdict requires proof beyond reasonable doubt of intent to kill or cause serious injury; otherwise a manslaughter verdict is appropriate. Boland claimed he was defending himself and that the incident happened quickly. The case remains at the deliberation stage.
Daniel Murtagh, aged 34 when sentenced, withdrew his appeal against a murder conviction for the death of his former partner Nadine Lott, who was 30. The Court of Appeal heard the withdrawal request and granted it without any submissions. Murtagh was found guilty of murder after a two‑day trial at the Central Criminal Court, where the jury rejected his intoxication defence and accepted the prosecution's case that he had formed the intent to kill. He received a mandatory life sentence in October 2021. The trial described how Murtagh beat Lott to the point of being "completely unrecognisable", leaving her with "extreme and grotesque" injuries that caused her death on 17 December 2019. No further appeal was pursued. Daniel Murtagh pleaded not guilty.
During the Special Criminal Court hearing on 17 April 2024, Dean Byrne, aged 30, admitted that he had used a mobile phone found in his Mountjoy prison cell to send photographs of Daniel Cahill's statement to a relative of Cahill. Byrne also admitted that he had sent a message to the relative asking him to persuade Cahill not to testify and that he had called Cahill a "rat", "dirtbag" and "filthbag" in an exchange with another man, offering to "do damage" to Cahill. The prosecution alleges that Byrne was part of a campaign of intimidation against witnesses in Aaron Brady's 2020 murder trial. Byrne's admissions, made under Section 22 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984, are said to be significant and could substantially shorten the trial, which was originally estimated to last 14 weeks. The case concerns Byrne's alleged conspiracy with Brady to pervert the course of justice between 8 April 2020 and 22 June 2020. Dean Byrne pleaded guilty.
In the trial of Maurice 'Mossie' Boland, who pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, the jury was asked whether the deceased Cian Gallagher's intoxication could legally excuse his inability to break a fall. The judge ruled it was not a defence. The prosecution argued that a punch from Boland caused Gallagher to fall and hit his head, leading to a traumatic brain injury. The defence contended that the fall itself caused the fatal injury, not the punch. The jury deliberated for 2 hours and 53 minutes, considering whether Boland intended to kill or cause serious injury. The judge explained that if intent was proven, the verdict would be murder; otherwise, manslaughter. The case remains at the jury's verdict stage.
A 54‑year‑old man, Dainius Sakevicius, pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm on 26 December 2022 after drinking for five days. He assaulted his partner, punching her multiple times, causing bruising, swelling, a loose tooth and arm soreness. The victim was treated at St Vincent's and St James's Hospitals. Gardaí found Sakevicius intoxicated at his Bray home and later charged him. The woman withdrew her statement and declined a victim impact statement. Judge Orla Crowe imposed a suspended sentence of 1 year 9 months, suspended in full on strict conditions, including 18 months of Probation Service engagement, participation in Men Overcoming Violence and alcohol treatment programmes. The court noted Sakevicius had no prior convictions, had paid over €4,000 for the victim's medical costs, and had no previous Garda attention. The sentence was given on the day of the hearing.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, the prosecution described Maurice "Mossie" Boland (36) as having "targeted" and "relentlessly pursued" Cian Gallagher (26), a Dublin construction worker, before striking him with a punch that the accused claimed was a "Conor McGregor knockout." The State presented CCTV footage showing Boland punching Gallagher while the latter was retreating with his hands up, and a pathologist testified that a fall caused a brain bleed, though deep bruising on Gallagher's right temporalis was linked to the punch. Boland pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The prosecution argued that Boland's intent to cause serious injury, combined with intoxication, met the legal definition of murder, while the defence contended that the fall, not the punch, caused the fatal injury and that Boland had not targeted Gallagher. The trial was set to continue before Mr Justice Paul McDermott with a jury of eight men and four women.
A 37‑year‑old man was jailed for nine years after pleading guilty to multiple counts of rape and sexual assault against a brother and sister who were in foster care with him. The accused, aged 14‑17 at the time of the offences, abused the siblings, aged 9‑13, between 2002 and 2004 while they were in the same foster home. He also pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of both victims. The abuse ended when he turned 18 and left the home. He had 21 prior convictions. The judge set a headline sentence of 13 years, reduced to ten years with a one‑year suspension for three years on strict conditions, and ordered five years of post‑release supervision. The siblings did not wish their impact statements to be read in open court. The accused expressed regret and hopes the victims can move on. The case was prosecuted by John Fitzgerald SC and defended by Ronan Munro SC.
A 77-year-old man was sentenced to two and a half years in prison by Judge Sarah Berkeley at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for eight counts of indecent assault against his teenage daughter. The defendant, who pleaded not guilty, was convicted by a jury following a trial in February. The offences occurred on unknown dates between 1985 and 1987 at a location in Leinster. The court heard that the victim, who made a statement to gardai in December 2020, disclosed that she was digitally penetrated and touched by her father while a teenager. The judge described the acts as "vile" and a heinous crime, noting the victim's ongoing suffering from panic attacks and depression. Although the defendant denied the allegations, claiming he never touched her, the jury found him guilty. In mitigation, defence counsel highlighted the defendant's lack of previous convictions, his lifelong work history, and his serious cardiac health issues, which require specific care and medication in prison. Judge Berkeley set a headline sentence of five years but reduced it to two and a half years, taking into account the defendant's poor health and the fact that he supported his family. The judge acknowledged the victim's closure and return to education, stating that while the defendant is now sentenced, his daughter will live with the consequences of his actions for the rest of her life.
Dean Byrne, aged 30, is on trial in the Special Criminal Court for conspiring to pervert the course of justice by persuading prosecution witness Daniel Cahill not to testify at Aaron Brady's murder trial. The trial, originally set for 14 weeks, may be shortened to two or three weeks if Byrne makes a number of admissions tomorrow. Padraig Dwyer SC is considering a "shopping list" of 35 proposals from the Director of Public Prosecutions that the defence may not need to prove formally. Some proposals relate to searches of Byrne's cell in Mountjoy prison and the obtaining of warrants. Mr Dwyer said some issues are already resolved, some cannot be admitted, and others could be admitted if reworded. Mr Justice Paul Burns adjourned the trial to allow the parties to work on the outstanding admissions. Byrne pleaded not guilty to the charge. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Burns, Judge Elma Sheahan and Judge Marie Keane.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a 69‑year‑old man was found guilty of 48 counts of sexual offences against his daughter, including 25 counts of rape and 23 of indecent assault. The abuse began when the daughter was about three and a half years old and continued until she was 16, spanning the years 1977 to 1989. The court heard that the father repeatedly raped her, forced digital penetration, kissed her, performed oral sex, and touched her breasts when she developed. The daughter reported the abuse to the Gardaí in 2019; the father was arrested in July 2020, denied the allegations, and was later convicted. He does not accept the verdicts and maintains his innocence. The case was adjourned to 26 April for finalisation. The daughter's victim impact statement described how the abuse stole her childhood and urged other victims to come forward.
Maurice Boland, 36, of Bridgeview Close, Tallow, Co Waterford, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in the death of 26‑year‑old Cian Gallagher, a construction worker, who died on 10 November 2022 after a fall on 2 November. Boland told detectives he was defending himself when he struck Gallagher, who had his hands up and was backing away, as shown by CCTV. He claimed he hit Gallagher once, that the man was intoxicated, and that the fall caused a traumatic brain injury leading to death. Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster testified that Gallagher's blood alcohol level was high and that the injuries were consistent with a fall onto the back of the head. The trial is set to continue before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of eight men and four women.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 39‑year‑old woman testified that her uncle, aged 58, raped and imprisoned her for a week after violently assaulting her, leaving her unable to walk. She described being locked in a room, forced to use paper cups for toileting while the uncle repeatedly sexually assaulted her, including inserting fingers during urination about six or seven times a day from 2 February. He also set fire to the bed and curtains, switched off electricity, and threatened to kill or cause serious harm. The court heard the uncle had pleaded guilty to four assault counts and was found guilty of 14 counts, including rape, false imprisonment, 11 sexual assault counts and one threat count. The case was adjourned to 26 April for sentencing. The woman, who sustained bruises and a tooth injury, said she would never forgive him and that her life had been destroyed by his actions.
A 52-year-old man from Longford has been sentenced to nine years imprisonment following his conviction on 52 counts of sexual assault at the Central Criminal Court. The offences occurred between 2004 and 2006, when the victim was aged between 10 and 12 years old. The man, who was known to the victim's family and regularly babysat her, engaged in a pattern of sexual assaults that included inappropriate touching and exposure to pornographic material. During sentencing, Mr Justice David Keane identified aggravating factors including the breach of trust inherent in the babysitting relationship, the vulnerable age of the victim, and the fact that the abuse occurred within her home. The victim provided an impact statement describing the profound and lasting effects of the offences, stating that the trial process itself had been deeply traumatic. The judge noted the man has not accepted the jury's verdict and has demonstrated no remorse. A period of two-year post-release supervision has been imposed, with no portion of the sentence suspended.
During a Special Criminal Court hearing, Detective Inspector Mark Phillips reported that witnesses who had spoken to Gardaí about Aaron Brady's admission of killing Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe feared retaliation if they testified. Phillips cited ten witnesses who did not attend Brady's 2020 murder trial, citing threats or intimidation from Brady's associates. One witness, Ronan Flynn, recorded a video interview in New York where he claimed to have heard Brady admit the murder on multiple occasions, and he expressed concern for his safety and his family's safety after receiving a warning that he would be "dealt with" if he returned to Ireland. Other witnesses, including Colin Hoey and Daniel Cahill, also reported intimidation or fear of harm. The court heard that Dean Byrne, charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice, had attempted to influence Cahill's testimony. The hearing focused on the intimidation allegations and the witnesses' reluctance to testify, without addressing any verdicts or sentencing. Dean Byrne pleaded not guilty.
A man from Strokestown, County Roscommon, has been sentenced to eleven and a half years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court following his conviction on twenty-six counts of sexually abusing his daughter between 2011 and 2016. Cyril Mullane, aged 51, was found guilty of eleven counts of oral rape, fourteen counts of sexual assault, and one count of attempted rape committed at properties in County Sligo and Norfolk in the United Kingdom. The victim, who waived her anonymity, was between six and twelve years old during the offences. Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo imposed a thirteen-year sentence with the final eighteen months suspended. The judge noted that the complainant's childhood had been "poisoned" by sustained abuse constituting a serious breach of paternal trust over a five-year period. Mullane had denied all charges and was not afforded mitigation for guilty pleas.
Matthew O'Connell (20) and Evan Vella (19) pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm and violent disorder, respectively, for a mob attack on a 16‑year‑old Italian student in Blackrock Park on 27 November 2021. The attack began after a bottle was mistakenly blamed on the victim's group, leading to a confrontation that escalated into a group assault by up to ten young men. O'Connell was described as a main antagonist and Vella admitted punching the student once. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a three‑year suspended sentence on O'Connell, ordering him to pay €5,000 and raise an additional €5,000 within a year, and a 16‑month suspended sentence on Vella, ordering him to pay €1,500 to the victim within six months or donate it to charity. Both sentences were suspended, with no custodial terms imposed. The judge highlighted the defendants' young age, lack of prior convictions, and potential for rehabilitation.
In the Central Criminal Court, Maurice 'Mossie' Boland, aged 36, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Cian Gallagher, 26, who died from a brain bleed after an alleged altercation on Barrack Street, Tallow, on 10 November 2022. Boland told arresting gardai that Gallagher had struck him first, that he had "ducked" and then hit Gallagher back, and that Gallagher had made comments about Russians. He described the incident as a "pure accident" and said the fight resembled a "Conor McGregor knockout". Boland's partner, Marian O'Brien, testified that she had left him with their children on 1 November, that he had called her from Lismore saying he was going for drinks, and that she had seen him and Gallagher run out in front of her car. She also said she had taken his mobile phone at the scene to contact his relatives.
Adrian Stralynski, 22, pleaded guilty to laundering €13,100 in a smishing scam that cost a victim €16,000. He has 13 prior convictions for drug possession, assault, public order and road traffic offences. The court heard that the victim, Aidan Hall, received a fraudulent text claiming a Bank of Ireland login and was tricked into entering a verification code, after which €13,100 was transferred through accounts linked to Stralynski. Stralynski admitted he was high and was persuaded by a friend to facilitate the fraud, but denied sending the text. Judge Orla Crowe noted his early guilty plea, lack of recent Garda attention, and remorse, and sentenced him to 18 months in prison suspended in full for two years. The co‑accused has taken a trial date. The case was heard in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
John Joseph Devaney, aged 65, was convicted of rape and indecent assault against a 24‑year‑old deaf woman in 1985. The offence occurred in a rural caravan between September and November 1985. Devaney, a paramedic, denies the verdict and maintains his innocence. The victim, who wished to remain anonymous, described feeling scared, sick, dirty, confused, embarrassed and sad. The court, presided over by Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, imposed a sentence of eight years and six months for rape and six years for indecent assault, with both sentences running concurrently and back‑dated to his entry into custody in January. Devaney's work history and lack of prior sexual convictions were noted as mitigating factors, but no guilty plea was entered. The victim's impact statement highlighted the severe impact on her independence and psychological well‑being. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court in December 2023 and the sentence was announced on 12 April 2024.
The Court of Appeal has granted the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) access to audio recordings of a disturbance during a March 7, 2023, hearing involving Enoch Burke. Mr Justice John Edwards, delivering the judgment, stated that disruptive conduct by attendees constituted part of the court proceedings and that the recordings serve as a contemporaneous record. The court rejected Enoch Burke's arguments that releasing the files would breach his privacy rights or constitute covert surveillance, noting he provided no evidence of private conversations. GSOC is investigating alleged assault causing harm by gardai, following complaints from Simeon Burke and Ammi Burke regarding their treatment during the incident. Simeon Burke was previously convicted of a Public Order Act offence for threatening and abusive behavior near the Four Courts. The court emphasized that the expectation of respectful conduct extends to the environs of the building before and after judges arrive. Mr Justice Edwards dismissed Burke's claims as emotive, asserting that those who disrupt proceedings have no expectation of privacy. The court also granted Mr Burke access to the ambient recordings released to GSOC. The decision underscores the court's power to control its processes and ensure decorum, describing the administration of justice as a solemn process fundamental to the rule of law.
A 61‑year‑old Libyan man, Tareq Elkudir, was arrested after disembarking from a Ryanair flight from Manchester to Dublin. He was highly intoxicated, drinking from a litre bottle of whiskey during the 45‑minute flight, and was accused of sexually assaulting a 16‑year‑old girl. The victim described being repeatedly grabbed, hit on the arm, kissed, and having his hand rubbed near her breast area. She also reported being punched twice on the shoulder. Elkudir pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan, after hearing the case, imposed a fully suspended 18‑month sentence, noting the victim had not filed an impact statement and was ready to move on. The judge also allowed the victim to accept or redirect a €3,000 apology payment. Elkudir has no further criminal record since the offence and is married with three children. The case was heard at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Maurice 'Mossy' Boland, 36, of Tallow, Waterford, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in the death of Cian Gallagher, 26, a Dublin construction worker, who died from a brain bleed eight days after being punched and knocked to the ground on 2 November 2022. Witness Patrick Fennessy, 17 at the time, described seeing Boland on his feet and Gallagher on the ground outside Clancy's Bar. Fennessy said Boland claimed Gallagher had struck him first and that he was merely defending himself. Boland allegedly boasted that he had knocked Gallagher out "like Conor McGregor" and that Gallagher should have been in the UFC, expressing pride in the act. Boland also told witnesses he did not want an ambulance for Gallagher, insisting he would be fine. The trial, before Mr Justice Paul McDermott, continues tomorrow with a jury of eight men and four women.
In a 2024 appeal, a 41‑year‑old woman and her 53‑year‑old partner, jailed for a combined 33 years for raping and sexually abusing their five‑year‑old daughter and three‑and‑a‑half‑year‑old son, argued that video interviews of the children should not have been admitted to the jury. The couple had denied multiple offences, including rape, oral rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, reckless endangerment and false imprisonment, committed at two locations in Connacht between October 2012 and September 2014. Both were found guilty at the Central Criminal Court in November 2022. The appeal, presented by Michael Lynn SC for the man and Dominic McGinn SC for the woman, focused on alleged unfairness due to the eight‑year delay between the children's 2016 specialist Gardaí interviews and the 2022 trial, the use of leading or suggestive questions, and the lack of opportunity to assess the children's competence as witnesses.
During Aaron Brady's 2020 murder trial, a man named Dean Byrne offered to "do damage" to State witness Daniel Cahill, who later testified that Brady admitted shooting Garda Adrian Donohoe. Byrne, who was sharing a landing with Brady, allegedly sent messages to Cahill and to another acquaintance, urging them not to testify and threatening to harm Cahill. The Director of Public Prosecutions charged Byrne with conspiring to prevent Cahill's evidence, a charge that was opened by prosecution counsel Lorcan Staines SC. Byrne, aged 30, pleaded not guilty and his trial continues. The court heard that Byrne's messages referred to Cahill as a "rat" and that he claimed to have knowledge of Cahill's scheduled testimony, information not publicly available. The prosecution argues that Byrne acted as Brady's agent to pervert the course of justice. The trial is before Mr Justice Paul Burns, Judge Elma Sheehan and Judge Marie Keane. The unnamed accused was acquitted.
Aaron Brady, who was convicted in 2020 of murdering Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to perverting the course of justice. He admitted to recording footage of an interview between gardai and witness Ronan Flynn, which was subsequently posted online accusing Flynn of "touting." Brady did not enter a plea to a further count of conspiring with Dean Byrne to persuade a State witness not to testify, though prosecution counsel argued this should be considered at sentencing. Dean Byrne, 30, from Cabra Park, Phibsborough, Dublin, remains on trial for the conspiracy charge. Presiding judge Mr Justice Paul Burns adjourned sentencing to May 29. The court refused an application by Brady's lawyers to ban media reporting of the guilty plea, rejecting arguments that coverage could prejudice a potential retrial if Brady's murder conviction is overturned on appeal. The judge noted that a retrial is merely a possibility and that any prejudice could be remedied by judicial directions to the jury. Brady, 33, formerly of New Road, Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, is serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 40 years for the 2013 murder. He appealed his conviction last November and is awaiting a decision from the Court of Appeal.
The trial of Aaron Brady for perverting the course of justice has been postponed for a third day after the Director of Public Prosecutions and Brady's lawyers held discussions. Brady's counsel, Michael O'Higgins SC, said he had received an instruction from Brady that prompted the matter to be presented to the DPP. Prosecutor Lorcan Staines SC indicated he would consult with the DPP before proceeding and expects to have his instructions by the next day. The trial, originally scheduled for this week, was adjourned to give the defence time to review additional evidence served recently. Brady, aged 33, and co‑accused Dean Byrne, aged 30, are charged with conspiring to persuade State witness Daniel Cahill not to testify in Brady's murder trial of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, which took place during a robbery at Lordship Credit Union in Jenkinstown, County Louth, on 25 January 2013.
During a murder trial, a barman testified that on the night of the killing he had conversations with the deceased about Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine. The jury heard that the accused, Maurice Boland, 36, had replied to a Garda's caution that he was "onto" the deceased about Russians. Boland pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of Cian Gallagher, 26, who died from a brain bleed eight days after being punched by Boland in early November 2022. Prosecutor Roisin Lacey SC described how Boland boasted of knocking Gallagher out and compared himself to UFC fighter Conor McGregor. Witnesses, including the pub owner Ann O'Brien and barmaid Maggie O'Leary, confirmed that the deceased had been drinking and that Boland was highly intoxicated when he entered the pub. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of eight men and four women.
During the opening of Maurice Boland's trial at the Central Criminal Court, the prosecution presented evidence that Boland, 36, admitted to causing the death of construction worker Cian Gallagher, 26, but denied murder. CCTV footage showed Boland punching Gallagher, who had his hands up and was backing away, leading to a fall and a brain bleed that caused death eight days later. Boland claimed the incident was a "pure accident" and that Gallagher had tried to hit him first. Witnesses, including three young men and Gardaí, testified about Boland's intoxication, his statements comparing himself to UFC fighter Conor McGregor, and his attempts to lift Gallagher after the punch. The prosecution emphasized the focus on Boland's intent that night, distinguishing between murder and manslaughter. The trial is set to continue for two weeks before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury. Maurice Boland pleaded not guilty.